Militaristic policy. It is proposed that Ireland's budget for military spending will eventually increase from €1.3 billion to €3 billion. The decision to drop the triple lock is coming at the expense of people on lower incomes, education, disability, housing, refuges for domestic violence, etc. Earlier, the Taoiseach bemoaned that we are living in a world that is becoming increasingly brutal, militaristic, violent and nakedly imperialistic. In that context, I ask the Taoiseach once again - this is our last chance -…

Is this good for wellness?

And on St. Patrick’s Day?

It has been a year since the fateful referendum on disability, where disabled people chose to organise against that referendum to bring home the State's responsibility. What has the Taoiseach done in that year? I will just mention my own local area because of time constraints. Danu special school, the only special school in all of Dublin West, promised places to students for September 2024. Those students are still sitting at home right now. They were meant to start school last September but the building work has n…

I know the Minister is new to her brief so she may not be familiar with these locations. With regard to Ériu Community College, the Department of Education took an arbitrary decision to move the school from its temporary location to an area 8 km away until such time as it gets its permanent location. The Minister knows that in a suburban area of Dublin, that has a huge impact. I ask her to change that decision. That is a huge demand from the community.

The reality is that both areas need secondary schools. I will give the demographics. With all due respect, the Department of Education has had an inglorious history of misplanning educational need in this area and, I am sure, in many others. Ongar, where Ériu Community College is currently located, had the highest birth rate in 2024, according to the CSO. Some 32% of the population is under 18, so where are they to go to school? The only school in the area is at capacity. Fingal, overall, has the youngest populatio…

There are TDs in the area from the Minister's own party demanding the schools. This is not just the Opposition. There is unanimity that both locations need schools. If the Minister is telling parents they have to go to Tyrellstown from the Ongar catchment, which is a different catchment, does she have transport lined up? I have already sent her Department a group of parents who have no transport between these areas. They cannot get school transport and there is no bus link. The reality is that this is penny-pinchin…

It is called "passionate".

They can ask questions at their party meeting.

They have the Fine Gael Party meeting.

We know.

It is up to your Government. It is all about money.

Do not use your brother now.

I move: That Dáil Éireann: notes the World Health Organisation (WHO) states that gender-based violence is a global pandemic and the greatest threat to the health of women and girls worldwide, a woman or girl is killed by a partner or family member every 10 minutes; in this State: — since 1996, 274 women have died violently, up to 7th February, 2025; — 52 per cent of women have experienced sexual violence in childhood or adulthood; — 35 per cent of women, have experienced psychological, physical and/or sexual abuse …

I apologise; I did not realise I was out of time. I can take this up later. May I just mention that we have the brother of Valerie French here today? It is very important that Valerie's law is moved on and enacted.

He is not here now. That is not good.

He should be listening to the whole debate.

It does not send a very good signal that the Minister cares about this issue when only one Member from the Government side sat through this debate; it is actually an insult. Obviously, a few Members have come in now for Leaders' Questions. I want to run through some of the issues the Minister of State raised. Regarding the counselling notes, the Minister said earlier that there were no issues raised in the debate at the time, which is not true. Issues were raised by several TDs, including me, at the time. I propose…

-----or the Independents who are always looking for speaking time could be bothered to be here.

They are being deported, actually.